Paper-bag machine.



W. A. LORENZ & J. MERRITT.

y. PAPER BAG MACHINE.

APYLIOATION IILED JULY 10,1907.

Patented June 18, 1912.

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W. A. LORENZ & J. MERRITT.

PAPER BAG MAGHINB.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 10,1907.

Inv antony.- WLZzLa/m/ ai. Loren/z Joseph .arrb

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0., WASHINEITON. D. C.

W. A. LORENZ & J. MBRRITT.

` PAPER BAG MACHINE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY 10,1907.

Patented June 18, 1912.

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Inventors: WILL-mm J6. Loran/z CDI-UMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D.C.

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Patented June 18, 1912.

PAPER BAG MACHINE. APPLLGATION FILED JULY 10,1907.

W. A. LORENZ & J. MBRRITT.

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1,029,701 Patented June 18,1912.

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' COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO., WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. A. LORENZ & J. MERRITT.

PAPER BAG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1o, 1907.

Patented June 18, 1912.

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Inventors: WMZ/wm JLmvm/z/ l Joseph y JW? Wvtmssasf CoLUMB'IA PLANOGRAPMC0.. WAsmNu'roN, D. C.

W. A. LOREZ @L J. MERRITT.

' PAPER BAG MAGHINE. APPLIOATIQN FILED JULY 10,1907,

Patented June 18, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

WLLuLm JLmwW/x COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. LORENZ AND JOSEPH MERRI'IT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT,ASSIGN-- ORS TO UNION PAPER BAG- MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PAPER-BAG MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. LORENZ and JOSEPH MERRITT, citizens ofthel United States, and residents of Hartford, in the county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in PapenBag Machines, of which the following is a full,clear, and eXact specification.

The object of this invention is to provide automat-ic mechanism forforming in the open or mouth end of the side tucks of bellowssided paperbags, or paperbag blanks, certain reversed folds which are shown anddescribed. in Letters Patent of the United States to H. M. Farnsworth,353,010 dated Dec. 28, 1886, so that when the bag is opened for use,these particular folds will turn outwardly instead of inwardly, and thuspresent a funnel-shaped mouth for the more ready reception of thecontents of the bag. rThese folds also assist in maintaining the mouthof the bag in an open condition. For this purpose the upper' or mouthends of the inwardly tucked bellows plies of the blank are turnedoutwardly, the innermostbellows fold line being reversed and swungoutwardly to positions approximately 90 degrees from their formerpositions.

rlhe machine of the present invention produces these folds by openingthe mouth ends of the tucked bellows plies into flattened triangularfolds. Then a blade, herein designated as the reversing blade, isbrought against the blank, across the centers of the triangular folds,into approximate coincidence with what were formerly the inner bellowsfold lines, upon which lines each of these triangles isthen doubled uponitself by the turning back of the opened out side walls, the reversingblade serving to prevent the said fold line from ret-urning to itsoriginal position.

This invention may be embodied in an independent machine by providing itwith a. suitable driving mechanism, and by providing means for feedingthe blanks or bags to it in proper sequence and register; but we preferto embody the invention in a machine which operates in conjunction witha paper bag machine for folding the bottoms of paper' bags frombellows-sided blanks,l thus embodying in a single organization anautomatic machine for rapidly manufacturing Specification of LettersPatent.

App1caton filed July 10, 1907.A

Patented June 18, 1912. Serial No. 383,083.

bellows sided paper bags having these mouth folds. Vhen thus employed insuch an organization the machine of the present invention may performits operations before the bottom of the bag has been formed, or it may,as herein shown, receive the bags after the bottom forming mechanism hascompleted the bottom folds.

Figure 1 of the drawingsis a plan view of a machine embodying thepresent invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine of Fig. 1,looking at the right hand side thereof. Fig. 3 is an end View looking att-he left hand side thereof. Fig. 4 is an end view in section taken onthe line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front view in section taken on theline 5 5 of Fig. Ll. Fig. 6 is a side view in section of the upper feedroll. Fig. 7 is a plan view and Fig 8 an end view of the lower feedroll. Fig. 9 4is a sectional side view of the lower feed roll, taken onthe line 9-9 of Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a sectional end view of the lowerfeed roll taken on the line 1.0-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a sectionalview of the blank support, taken on the line 11- `11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 12is a sectional side view of the blank support taken on the line 12-12 ofFig. 13. Fig. 13 is a sectional end view of the blank support taken onthe line 1313 of Fig. 12. Fig. lelis an end View of the hollow bearingof the blank support. Fig. 15 is an end view of the same piece, taken insection on the line 15-15 of Fig. 11. Fig. 16 is an end View of afragment of the blank support, showing the gripping mechanism. Figs. 17to 24 are outline end views of the mechanism, showing the successivestages of the funnel forming operation. Figs. 25, 26 and 27 areperspective views of the mouth of a bellows-sided bag in successivestages. Fig. 25 shows the blank before it has been folded. Fig. 26 showsan intermediate position of the fold, and Fig. 27 shows the complete andflattened funnel folds.

The organization of mechanism shown and described herein is adapted tobe at tached to many of the well-known forms of paper bag machines, therolls 41 being the delivery rolls of such a paper bag machine. Themechanism herein shown is supported on the uprights 52 and 53, thesebeing secured together in their lower part by the tie pieces 56 and 57,and supported on the legs 54 and 55. The mechanism is driven by a trainof gears which receives its motion by meshing the gear 93 with the gear46 (Figs. 1 and 3) on the paper bag machine Ato which itis connected.The gear 93 is secured to the shaft 62, and the feed rolls 41 receivetheir motion from the shaft 62, through the gear 45 secured thereto, andthe gear 43 secured to the shaft of the feed rolls. The rods 44 serve totie the paper bag machine and the funnel folding machine together.

The shaft 62 is journaled in the uprights 52 and 53, and has secured toit the lower feed roll 61, between which and its coperating upper feedroll 101 the blanks are received over the blade 42 from the deliveryrolls 41 of the bag machine. This machine is adapted to operate ondifferent widths and different lengths of bags, and to that end isprovided with means for receiving the different widths and lengt-hs andregistering them with the mouth end of the bag in proper relation to thefold mechanism. In most bag machines the bags are delivered bottom endfirst, which further increases and complicates the compensation requiredfor the proper registration of the different sizes and lengths. Thevarious blank feeding and supporting rolls are made of a circumferenceand width great enough to accommodate the longest and widest bags to 'befolded, in addition to providing for leaving a suitable space betweenthe succeeding bags, to give room for the folding implements. Hencethese rolls travel with a surface speed which is likely to beconsiderably greater than the speed at which the bags are delivered fromthe bag machine. In the present invention provision is made foradjustments and compensations to meet these variations in width, lengthand speed of travel of the bags.

The main blank support, which principally serves as the folding bed uponwhich the blanks are held during the folding operations, consists, inthe present invention, of a mutilated cylinder 126, which is secured tothe shaft 127, the right hand end of which is j ournaled in the bearing129 (Fig. 5) sup'- ported in the upright 52., while the left hand end ofthe shaft is ournaled in the central sleeve 151, which forms a part ofthe hollow bearing 148 supported by the upright 53. The shaft 127 hasfixed thereon the gear 128, which meshes with and receives rotarymovement from the gear 103, which drives the upper feed roll 101 andmeshes with a gear 98 on the lower feed roll shaft 62. The gear 93 ismounted upon the shaft 62, and meshes with the driving gear 46, as abovedescribed. f

As one of the means for adjusting the various parts of the presentmachine so as to receive the different widths and lengths of bags fromthe bag machine and register.

them properly in thisv machine, the gears 93 and 98 are adjustablysecured to each other and to the shaft 62, being fixed in their adjustedpositions by means of bolts 9"4 and 95. The adjacent faces of therelatively adjustable parts may if so desired be provided with suitablegraduations by means of which the machine may at once be adjusted,without experiment, to suit the respective lengths of bags. YThe ends ofthe shafts 62 and 127 are preferably squared at 60 and 130,Arespectively, to facilitate adjustment of the parts.

1t is desirable for certainty and uniformity of action in delivering thebags from the delivery rolls 41 tothe feed rolls 61 and 101 to grip thebag with the latter rolls before it is released from the rolls 41. Ifdelivered from one of these rolls to the other and faster traveling rollin the ordinary way, without any compensating devices, the tendencywould be to stretch the bags and tear them, or to make theirregistration uncertain or irregular by reason of slipping between one orthe other of the pairs of rolls. To compensate for this difference inspeed between the rolls; and also for the differences in the length oftime during which the bags are gripped by these rolls, due to theirvarying lengths, means are provided for pushing back the front end ofeach bag a definite and predetermined extent, differing for each lengthof bag, so that the bag may be unifo-rmly gripped at its front endbetween the faster traveling feed rolls 61 and 101, before its rearwardend is released by the delivery rolls 41, without causing any suchtension as to tear the bag or interfere with its correct registration.For this purpose the roll 61 is provided with a registering blade orfinger 64, which, as the front end of the bag B reaches the feed roll61, pushes that leading end backwardly (Fig. 17), thus bending orbuckling the bag and providing an amount of slack equaling or exceedingthe amount that will be taken up by the faster traveling' feed rolls,between the time that they grip the bag and the time that the latter isreleased from the delivery rolls 41. A suitable portion vof theperiphery of the roll 61 or 101 or bo-th is relieved ad- Y jacent to theposition of the finger 64, so as to receive and guide but not to gripthe corresponding portion of the bag, leaving it free to be pushed backbetween the relieved portions of the rolls.

The finger 64 (Figs. 8 to 10) is pivoted on the stud 76 carried by theroll 61, and has teeth 75 cut in its hub, which engage with a sectorgear 74, secured to the shaft 65 journaled in the roll 61. Motion isimparted to the finger 64 during the rotation of the roll 61, by meansof the arm 66 secured to the outer end of the shaft65 and held by thespring 73 against the stationary cam 68.

The hub of this cam extends through and is supported by the upright 52,and forms a bearing for the shaft 62.

1n order to adjust this part of the mecha- 5 nism to bags of differentlengths as well as to allow adjustment for slight variations in bags ofthe same nominal length, the cam 68 is made circumferentiallyadjustable, having secured to its outer end the worm gear 69 (Fig. 2)which meshes with t-he worm 70 journaled in the bracket 72 supported onthe upright 52. The shaft of the worm is provided with the knurled head71. Motion may thus at any time be imparted to the worm gear 69, and thecircumferential position of the cam 68 be adjusted relative to the timeof rotation of the roll 61, whether the machine is in operation or not.

As the forwardly projecting free front ends of the bags are liable to bedeflected sidewise, especially when pushed backward as above described,a pair of centralizing fingers 7 9 (Figs. 7 to 10) are provided, whichhave a movement toward each other as the blank passes to the roll 61, sothat the edges of such bags as may be out of center are engaged by oneor the other of these fingers, and pushed to a central position. Thesefingers are pivoted on the studs 80, carried by the blocks 81 held inthe support block 82 which is fitted into a recess provided for it bycutting away a portion of the periphery of the roll 61, to which it issecured. The hubs of the finger 7 9 are provided with-sector gears 83,which mesh with the teeth 77 cut in the hub of the registering finger64. The motion of the latter thus serves to impart the required movementto the fingers 79. In order to provide adjustment for varying widths ofbags the pivot blocks 81 are fitted to slide in ways provided in thesupport 82. The right and left hand screw 84 passes through holes tappedfor it in the sliding blocks 81, and is secured against endwise movementby the block 86, which fits between the two collars 85, and is securedto the support 82. Motion imparted to the screw 84 by means of theknurled head 87 thus serves to draw together or separate the two lingers79, the length of the teeth 77 permitting the necessary sliding movementof the sectors 83. A check-nut S8 secures the parts in any desiredposition of adjustment.

The upper feed roll 101 is journaled inl the uprights 52 and 53, beingsupported at its right hand end by the shaft 102 (Fig. 6) to which it issecured, and which rotates in the bearing 104. The left hand side of theroll is provided with a long hub 110 which rotates in the bearing 105.Motion is imparted through the gear 103 secured to the hub 110 whichmeshes with the gear 98 on the shaft 62. The roll 101 is provided in apart of its periphery with the presser feet 106 which are arranged in aseries of pairs at each end of the roll, each foot being provided with aspring 107. Thus the bags are firmly held in spite of varyingthicknesses at the folded bottom or elsewhere.

A portion of the cylindrical surface of the roll 101 is cut away on theside opposite the presser feet 106, forming a recess 111 (Fig. 4) oneside of which forms the wall 112of a suction chamber, this wall beingprovided with slits or perforations 113,lead ing to the interior of theroll, which is made hollow for this suction purpose.v As the mouth endof the bag comes in contact with this surface, the upper and lower pliesthereof are separated by means of this suction chamber and a coactingsuction chamber carried by the blank support 126, this separation of thetwo plies causing the side tucks to open so as to permit the certainentrance of the folding devices. The long hub 110 of the roll 101 ismade hollow and connects the inside of the roll with the pipe 114 (Fig.3) leading to the main suction pipe.154, which is connected withsuitable exhausting apparatus, not shown.

Disposed between the feed rolls 61 and 101 and adjacent to the blanksupport 126 is the deflecting plate 121 supported on the rod 122,secured by a set screw in the lug 123, on the tie bar 57. It is thefunction of this plate to deiiect the bag from between the rolls 61 and101 to the adjacent surface of the blank support 126; and for thispurpose the cylindrical surface of the roll 61 is provided with groovesor slots 63, into which fit corresponding projections of the plate 121.The end of the plate nearest the blank support is bent downward so as toprovide space for the opening out of the mouth of the bag.

The rotating blank support 126 carries one or more sets of folding beds,and gripping and folding devices to which suitable movements areimparted as the blank support rotates. The machine herein shown isprovided with two sets of these devices, but only one of these setsneeds to be described, it being'understood that the construction andmode of operation of the second set is similar thereto, and that thesedevices alternate in their operation upon the succeeding blanks.

The gripping device consists of a pair of grippers 131, located on eachside of the blank support. For convenience in assembling, the pair ofgrippers and their attendant mechanism are contained in the gripper box133 (Figs. 11 and 16) which fits in a recess 132 formed to receive it inthe blank support 126. The grippcrs are pivotally vsupported on thestuds 134, appurtenant to the box 133, and the hub of each gripper formsa pinion 135. The right hand pinion meshes with the rack 136 on itsinner side, while the left hand pinion 135 meshes with the rack 137 onits outer side. The two racks'136 and 137 are fitted to slide in the box133, and are secured together by the connecting block 138, which joinstheir inner ends. The rack 136 is provided on its outer end with a stud140, which engages the fixed cam 142,secured to the bearing 129. Bymeans of this cam the racks receive a reciprocating motion as the blanksupport 126 rotates, and the grippers 131 are therefore thrownalternately into or out of engagement with the cylindrical surfaceV ofthe blank support. The spring 139 secured at one end to the box 133. andat the other end to the block 138 serves to hold the stud 140 againstthe cam 142. A bracket 141 secured to the side of the blank support 126supports the inner end of the stud 140, which is flattened off so as tobe free to slide therein during the reciprocating movement of the racks.

The surface 146 standing at an angle to and joined to the cylindricalsurface of the blank support 126 is provided with a number of slits orperforations 147 leading to the interior of the blank support 126, andforms the outer wall ofthe suction chamber 145, which coperates with thesurface 112 of the upper feed roll 101.

Pneumatic communication between the suction chamber 145 and theexhausting apparatus is made tln'ough the hollow bearing 148 (Fig. 5)which joins the pipe 153, connected with the main suction pipe 154. Anopening 149 (Figs. 11 to 15) formed by cutting away a part of the outershell of the suction bearing 148 where it projects within the blanksupport 126, serves to connect the interior of the latter atregularintervals with the exhausting apparatus. This connection takesplace, however, only during that portion of therotation of the blanksupport at which the chambers 145 are opposite the opening 149. Theposition of the latter is such that the suction becomes operative uponeach chamber 145 as soon as the mouth of the bag reaches the surface146, and becomes inoperative before the mouth end leaves the blanksupport. The curved plate 150 which is secured to the inner edge of thesurface 146 and extends across the entire width of that surface assiststhe action of the suction surfaces 146 and 112, closing up the rearwardside of the space acted upon by j the suction.

162 mounted for movement toward and from the blank support 126 on theslide 163 (Figs. 1 and 5) fitted to ways in the brackets 164 secured tothe sides of the blank support 126. The reciprocating movement isimparted by means of the roll or stud 165 secured to the slide 163,t-raveling in the stationary cam 166 secured to the bearing 129. Theretaining blade 162 is rigidly secured to the slide 163 and it is itsfunction to assist in defining the triangular fold lines, and also tocoperate with the suction surface 146 in holding down the lower ply ofthe blank during the upward folding of the upper ply. The swinging blade161 is mounted for rotation on an axis substantially in alinement withthe intersection of the angular surface 146 and the cylindrical surfaceof the blank support, and'is secured to the shaft 172 which is journaledin bearings formed in the projections 17 0 and 171 of the slide 163, andis rotated by means of the pinion 173 which is secured to its outer endand meshes with the sector gear 174 pivoted on the stud 175 appurtenantto the bracket 164. The sector gear 174 is provided with an arm 176carrying a roll stud 177 which is held in engagement by the spring 179with the fixed cam 178 secured to the bearing 129. The outer edges ofthe blades 161 and 162 vare inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with their inner edges, and serve to locate and define the innerinclined lines of the fiattened triangular folds.

The adjustment of the folding and retaining blades 161 and 162 so as tovary the distance of their Zone of movement from the center of the blanksupport 126 is provided for by the adjusting screw 167 (Fig. 5) tted inthe lug 168 on the upright 52, the inner end of the screw being tappedinto the cam 166, which controls theV reciproca-ting movement of theblades 161 and 162.

As the folding upward of the end of the uppervply has a tendency t-oraise the rest of that ply from the blank support, and thus interferemore or less with the accurate formation of the flattened triangularfolds, the retaining fingers 181 are provided, which swing down againstthe upper ply and hold it down (Figs. 21 and 22) thereby confining ythefolds to their proper limits. Each finge-1' 181 is carried by a sha-ft182 journaled in a projection 171, and is provided with a pinion 183 onits outer end, which meshes with the pinion 184 o-n the shaft 17 2 ofthe folding blade. The rotation of the folding blade thus serves toimpart a suitabley coacting motion to the finger 181.

Each set or Vsection of theblank support is also provided with areversing blade 191 (Figs. 4 and 5) which is mounted to swing toward andfrom the center line of the flattened triangular folds, and reversethose folds along the said center line, remaining against the folds longenough to prevent them from returning to their original position, whenthe upper ply is folded back toward the lower ply. The blade 191 ismounted upon the arm 192, which is pivoted by means of the shaft 193 tothe bracket 194, secured to the blank support 126. One end of the shaft193 extends outside of the blank support, and is provided with an arm195 to the end of which is secured the roll stud 196 held in engagementwith the stationary cam 197 by the spring 198, the cam 197 being securedto the bearing 129 and preferably made integral with the gripper cam142. The outer surv face of the blade 191 is shaped to the samecurvature as the cylindrical surface of the blank support 126, so thatwhen it is in engagement with the center line of the triangular folds(Figs. 22 and 23), this surface forms a continuation of the outersurface of the blank support, concentric with its axis of rotation.

Inasmuch as the bottom or forward ends of the longer bags may extend forsome distance along the surface of the blank support ahead of thegrippers 131, means are provided to hold this end to the blank support,so that it may pass properly over the plate 217 to the tape 224, and theupper delivery roll 221. These means consist of the bifurcated sector201 (Figs. 1 and 4) mounted on the shaft 202 journaled in bearings inthe uprights 52 and 53, and driven by means of the gear 203 meshing withthe gear 128.

After the reversing blade 191 has been brought against the center lineof the flattened triangular folds (Fig. 22) the folding blades 161 areswung backwardly toward the blade 162, thus folding the upper ply backto its original position, but with the reversed side tucks turnedforwardly instead of inwardly, after which the blades 161 and 162 arewithdrawn from the tucks of the bag. The folds are then flattened bypassing under the segment 211 (Figs. 1, 4 and 23) which presses themdown upon the curved surface of the blade 191. The segment 211 iscarried on the shaft 202, being supported by means of the pin 205 on thearms 204 (Figs. 1 and 2) which extend from the hub 208 of the sector201. By means of the spring 213 the inner end of which bears against theabutment 207 on the hub 208, the segment 211 is permitted to yield so asto adapt itself to variations in the thicknesses of the bags, theprojection 212 being held against the lug 206 on the hub 208 so as tolimit the outward action of the spring.

The plate 217 which serves to direct the forward end of the bag to thebelt 224 is secured to the bar 218 supported in the uprights 52 and 53.The belt 224 is carried by the roll 221 and the pulley 225. The formeris secured to the shaft 222 journaled in the uprights 52 and 53 anddriven by the gear 223, and the latter is mounted on the bracket 226supported on Ways provided therefor on the tie bar 56. A screw 227provides for any necessary adjustment of the tension of the belt. 230carried by the rod.23l supported in the bearing 232 in the tie bar 57serves to direct the end of the bag from the blank support over the belt224 to the belt 236, from which it passes to the belt 241, which carriesit away from the machine, the funnel folds being still further flattenedby passing between the roll 221 and the belt 236. The belt 236 iscarried by pulleys 237 and 240, the former of which is mounted forrotation in the bracket 238 appurtenant to the tie bar 57, while thelatter is mounted on the yoke 239 which is pivoted on the shaft of thepulley 242, thus providing means for taking up the slack in the belt.The yoke 239 is secured in position by well-known devices, not shown.The pulley 242 serves as the inner support of the belt 241.

The consecutive operation of this machine as a whole is as follows:w-The bag B is delivered from the rolls 41 over the blade 42 to theroll 61, in approximately the condition shown in Fig. 25, its leadingend striking the finger 64 which pushes it backward to a suitableextent, while the rolls 41 continue to feed it forward, thus creating aslack in it as shown in Fig. 17, to an extent suited to the length ofbag. The bag then passes forward between the rolls 61 and 101 (Fig. 18),the presser feet 106 adapting themselves to any variations in thethickness of the bag, so as to move it forward by a substantially equalpressure upon the roll 61. The plate 121 then directs the bag from theroll 61 to the surface of the blank support 126, where its edges aregripped to that surface by the closing down of the grippers 131. Whenthe rear o-r mouth end of the bag reaches the roll 101 it is oppositethe recess 111 (Fig. 19) so that the suction through the perforations113 in the surface 112 draws the upper ply away from the lower ply, thusslightly distending the mouth of the bag, which distention is stillfurther increased as soon as the mouth end reaches the blank support(Fig. 20), as the suction through the perforations 147 in the surface146 then becomes operative and acts upon the lower ply of the bag. Theblades 161 and 162 are then moved into the side tucks which have beenopened by the separation of the upper and lower plies. The swingingblades 161 are then forwardly turned on their axes, thus folding theupper ply upward and away'from the lower ply, the latter being meanwhileheld in place by the blades 162, as well as by the suction through thesurface 146, thus opening out the mouth Vend of the bag into flattenedtri- The stripper plate angular plies (Figs. 21 and 26), the outer edgesof the blades 161 and 162 serving to locate and define the inclinedinner lines of the folds. The retaining fingers 181 are now swungbackwardly and engage the upper ply of the bl-ank on the forward side ofthe folding blades 161, carrying the ply downward, and thereby assistingto stretch the paper into pro-per position and defining the cross foldon the upper ply. The reversing blade 191 is then swung forward andengages these folds along their center line 188 (Fig. 22). While theblade 191 remains in this position the swinging blades 161 are turnedback on their axes toward the blade 191 (Fig. 23), thereby returning theupper ply ofthe blank to its first posi* tion, and doubling thetriangular side folds upon themselves upon the fold line 188 around theedge of the blade 74, thus reversing the folds upon that line, andleaving it in substantial coincidence and alinement with the axes of theswinging blades and thereby forming on each side of .the blank the twoV-shaped funnel plies 187 (Fig. 27 The folding blades 161 and 162 arenow withdrawn entirely out of the tucks, and the pressing segment 211engages the upper ply of the blank pressing it against the roundedsurface of the reversing blade 191, and thus flattening the folds.Meanwhile, the forward or bottom end of the bag has passed under thesector 201 over the plate 217 and the belt 224. The grippers 131 releasetheir hold about this time, thus allowing the forward end of the bag tobe deflected from the blank support vby the stripper plate 230, whichdirects it to the belt 236. The bag thus passes from the belt 236 to thebelt 241, by which it is carried away from the machine. The reversingblade 191 withdraws from the mouth fold just before therear end of thebag leaves the blank support (Fig. 24) the suction through the surface146 having by this time become inoperative. Both the upper and lowerfolds are thoroughly flattened by passing between the belts 224 and 236,the bag being delivered in approximately the condition shown in Fig. 27,in which view, however,l the blank is open to a slight eX- tent, so asto represent more clearly the character of the funnel folds 187 producedby this operation.

The terms upper, lower, right, left, forward,7 backward, and similarterms denoting relative positions are herein used in their relative andnot their absolute sense, inasmuch as many of the parts may be reversed,inverted or transposed in many ways that will be obvious to the mechanicor designer. The mechanism herein shown and described may also bemodified as to dimensions, amplitude of movement and in many otherobvious ways to suit different sizes of bags or to meet variousconditions of service.

It will also be apparent that some of these devices, and particularlythe devices for receiving and registering bags or blanks which areliable to be delivered to the machine irregularly or at differentspeeds, are applicable to various other machinery, including printing,pasting or folding machines for paper bags or blanks, or similararticles. Those devices are made the subject matter of a divisionalapplication, Serial No. 519,983 filed by us under date of September a5,1909.

W'e claim as our invention 1. Means for forming the described funnelfolds in the mouth end of a bellows sided bag blank, including a rotaryVblank support provided with a. suction surface, a pair of feed rollsfor feeding the blanks to the said blank support with the mouth end ofthe blank in register wit-h the said suction surface, one of the saidfeed rolls being also provided with a suction surface registering withthe mouth end of the blank, a pair of sustaining blades mounted to moveinto the side tucks of the blank, to bend down and hold down the lowerply thereof, and a pairV of folding blades also mounted to move into theside tucks of the blank and fold the upper ply upwardly, the saidsustaining blades and folding blades coacting with the said suctionsurface of the blank support and of the feed roll to Open the mouth endof the blank and form the said triangular folds therein.

2. Means for forming the described funnel folds in the mouth end of abellows-sided bag blank, including a rotary blank support, means forturning the mouth end of the lower ply of the blank inwardly within therotary path of the blank, means for folding the mouth end of the upperply outwardly from the rotary path of the blank to form the triangularfolds between the said plies, and retaining fingers for moving the upperply downwardly to close the said plies together adjacent to the saidtriangular folds.

3. Means for forming the described funnel folds in the end portions' ofa bellowssided bag blank, including a rotary blank support, means forturning the mouth end of the lower ply of the blank inwardly within therotary path of the blank, means for folding the mouth end of the upperply outwardly fromthe rotary path of the blank to form the triangularfolds between the said plies, retaining fingers for moving the upper plydownwardly to close the plies together adjacent to the said triangularfolds, and means for operating the retaining lingers in proper timerelation to the operation of lifting the mouth end of the upper ply.

va pair of retaining fingers mounted to swing backwardly toward the saidfolding blades to close the said upper and lower plies togethersubstantially adjacent to the said triangular folds.

5. Means for forming the described funnel folds in the mouth end of abellowssided bag blank, including a rotary blank support, means forturning down the mouth end of the' lower ply of the blank inside therotary path of the blank, means inoluding a pair of folding blades forturning the mouth end of the upper ply of the blank outwardly from therotary path of the blank to form the described triangular folds betweenthe said upper and lower plies, and a pair of retaining fingers mountedto swing backwardly toward the said folding blades to close the saidupper and lower plies together substantially adjacent to the saidtriangular folds, and driving means connecting the said blades and thesaid fingers to move them coincidently.

In witness whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILLIAM A. LORENZ. JOSEPH MERRITT. Witnesses:

EDWARD H. LORENZ, HANS MALLNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

